WASHINGTON (AP) – Alexander Semin scored his first NHL goal Friday night to help the Washington Capitals snap a six-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers.

Semin gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead on a power-play breakaway with 30 seconds remaining in the first period. He faked right and beat Pasi Nurminen to the left with a backhander.

Olaf Kolzig made 37 saves for Washington.

Vyacheslav Kozlov gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead at 5:30 of

the first period off assists from Ilya Kovalchuk and Marc Savard, who preoccupied Kolzig in front of the

net.

Matt Pettinger pulled the Capitals into a 1-1 tie with an unassisted goal off a wrist shot from the right circle at 7:41 of the first.

Jaromir Jagr took two shots in the opening three minutes. The second came off his own rebound and hit the left post.

The Capitals outshot the Thrashers 20-5 in the first period.

The Thrashers, playing one night after a 3-2 loss at Minnesota, went 1-2 on their three-game road trip.

Notes: The last time the Capitals won only one game in October was 1981-82 when they went 1-11 in the opening month of the season. That team was 1-12 when coach Gary Green was fired on Nov. 5. … Washington RW Stephen Peat knocked the helmet off and bloodied the left ear of Thrashers RW Francis Lessard midway through the second period. Both drew five minutes for fighting. … The Capitals are 9-1-2 against the Thrashers at their current home arena.

AP-ES-10-31-03 2142EST